[willyboyishere]

Wonder if Bennet bet on the Derby today? Starts in 1/2 hour.
I bet both Scrimshaw and Outta Here to win. And about 25 bucks worth of superfectas and triples.

[TLBSHOW]

BUMP

[CyberAnt]

Like I said before ... this is a NON-ISSUE right out of the gate!!

[fifteendogs]

Oh please doug. Everyone knows thAt gambling is far more immoral than getting a BJ in the oval office. Grow up. Or maybe throw up.

[jporcus]

I have no problem with gambling - live and let live, as long as you don't hurt anyone. But, I must admit that what bothers me about Bill Bennett (and for the most part, I like the guy and agree with what he says) is he does have a (slight) air of pomposity and arrogance, always coming across as being the authority on morals. Perhaps you need to be this way on TV, to make your points, win arguments, and sway people.

Maybe if he just smiled a bit more, it would help.

Anyway, it's good to be humbled every so often. It will only make him a better champion of the ideals he expounds.

[montag813]

What's the big deal, it's his money, Doug. Obviously he can afford it. $8 million to him may be like $8,000 to you or I. Who gives a crap? I don't. The media is sensationalizing The Kentucky Derby today, but how is that any different from Vegas? There are people who will bet and lose money which will ruin them today...the splendid setting, and roses, and horses and tradition doesn't change that fact.

How is gambling any different from what the American people were doing on the stock market in the late 1990's, buying Amazon.com at $400/share? Simple greed...gambling. I know two dozen people who lost more than $100,000 on the market in 2000-2001..some of them wiping themselves out in the process. They were no different from Mr. Bennett, and not evil or sinners. I don't see Mr. Bennett starving for cash like they are now. SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

[proud American in Canada]

right on target again! Thanks, Doug!

[Cordova Belle]

Doug, you had me there for a minute. This is right-on. I dread tomorrow's talk shows---particularly if Stephanopoulous makes this part of the weekly roundtable. Get prepared for the "moral equivalency" arguments {barf}.

[DoctorMichael]

While I recognize your satire and will also say that he did nothing wrong in the eyes of the law AND we all have at times 'gambled' through lottery tickets, raffles, etc., etc., etc..............................

FRUGALITY is a VIRTUE...............

............and this will cause me (if true to the magnitude reported) to look askance at what he has to say in the future.

Please forgive my puritanism in regards to this. However, I can also say that I have been consistent in this and have been flamed by some prominent FReepers in previous situations over the years.

[PGalt]

Nice work Doug. Right on the "money".

[Ed_in_NJ]

Definitely hugh!

[mountainfolk]

My concern for Bill Bennett, and it is genuine tho clearly none of my business, is his weight. I would love to tell him to check out Atkins. I hate to lose any amount of money so am not tempted to gamble much. But I also don't have the fun of playing the game. His is an expensive recreation but it is not inherently wrong. As for the RATs pounding on him, the timing is suspicious, given that Bennett is not in the administration. I suspect that this is an offset to a comming RAT scandal. At any rate, some of the sanctimony on this thread is deep enough for a shovel. Suggesting the IRS check him out is vindictive and jealous. Posters saying that we would all be jumping on the liberals for a revelation such as this is not so. I take for granted that liberals all have unsavory habits or ugly secrets that once revealed would hardly elicit a comment in the media, or a yawn from me.

[Yaelle]

Great essay. I liken it to Bennett being addicted to food, maybe morbidly obese, or even prescription drugs that a doctor had legally prescribed but that really got him addicted. Alcoholism. It's not good but these are minor personal failings that many good people have, and mostly hurt themselves. It does not reflect negatively on his words and works.

[Mr. Mojo]

I place the over/under on this story's legs at another week.

[ALS]

One man gambling is not a national scandel.
you've lost it

[WaterDragon]

Do I believe there live human beings who commit no sin?

What I despised about Clinton was his blatant contempt for our values, not that he committed sins.

[MightyMouseToSaveThe Day]

DFU, you're too clever and funny! Awesome wit. As soon as I was finished reading your parody, my first thought was that somewhere on this thread would be a poster who thought you were 'series'. It didn't take long; looks like poster #2 didn't catch the satire! hahaha...Way to go, Doug. Great satire--i love it!

[auggy]

It was Friday afternoon when I first heard this on the radio news. I then heard it again 30 minutes later. I don't know who the radio news announcer was. The way she gave this news piece, you would have thought Bennett had committed murder. I thought to myself, big damn deal.

[BobFromNJ]

Great Satire, ol' buddy!! How are you these days?

BobfromNJ

[Bullish]

NICE!